Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football's Offense Rounding Into Shape As Season-Opener Approaches
08/20/2003 | 12:00:00 | Football
Aug. 20, 2003
By Seth Whitehead
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE - So, who's gonna be starting in the Southern Illinois University backfield next Thursday in the season-opener against Quincy?
Everyone knows that Brandon Robinson is all but pencilled in at fullback. But what will head coach Jerry Kill do with tailbacks Muhammad Abdulqaadir and Tom Koutsos?
Will Koutsos, the school's all-time leading rusher, get the first handoff or be on the sidelines?
Will Abdulqaadir, the returning All-American, actually have to wait a few plays to prove that his sensational junior season wasn't a fluke?
Or will they both be in there on SIU's opening possession?
T-minus seven days until kickoff, there still aren't any solid answers to those questions coming out of the SIU camp.
In fact, when posed the latter question Tuesday, Saluki offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover hesitated before providing a predictable and diplomatic answer.
"As far as starting, I don't think that's as important as how many touches those guys get,'' Limegrover said. "It's how many plays they get and how they get involved in the offense. We are committed to making sure that we've got fresh backs in there."
And he's right.
Nobody has come out and said it, but odds are that Koutsos and Abdulqaadir won't both start. But it isn't how you start -- or who starts -- that matters anyway. It's how you finish. And if both guys get their touches and produce like they can, nobody is going to care or remember which of the two started the game -- especially if the Salukis finish in the win column.
But, Limegrover assures that SIU's staff will find a way to get them both on the field simultaneously at some point.
"One of the things that is great about working with coach Kill is that he's very innovative about things like that,'' Limegrover said. "You look over our past year at Southern Illinois, we've always come up with some wrinkles and some things to try to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers.
"We're constantly tinkering and working and trying to come up with different ways to utilize (both of them), something to get those two players on the field at the same time.
Limegrover and the rest of the staff seem tickled to have such a problem. It's rarely a bad thing to have too many options.
And fortunately, the Salukis have plenty of options all over the field on the offensive side of the ball, which is why a number of starting positions are far from set in stone.
Battles for playing time continue at tight end, wide receiver and the offensive line.
Here's a quick look at the remaining positions up for grabs on the offensive side of the ball, and the odds-on-favorites to see playing time.
Tight End
With no players returning with starting experience, this was by far the biggest question mark coming into fall practice. SIU entered practice with five tight ends listed on its depth chart.
Two players have emerged as the most likely candidates to see playing time in sophomores Micah Turner and Chris Kupec.
"Right now, since they've been tight ends in our offense a little longer, Mike and Chris have stepped forward,'' Limegrover said. "Chris Brooks is coming off an injury, so his first day was today (Tuesday). We're waiting to see about him.
Which of the two will start? Much like the situation at tailback, it may not really matter. SIU is likely to use a number of two tight end sets, meaning ample playing time for both Turner and Kupec.
"The tight end position is one that we're going to try to personnel it up with the things we're doing,'' Limegrover said. " As a tight end in our offense you're pretty lucky. Chris is a converted wide receiver, so we like to get him in there and throw the football when we have two tight ends in and keep the defense off balance.''
Wide Receiver
Senior Courtney Abbott is the mainstay. A couple of talented but inexperienced sophomores, Kellen Allen and Brent Little, are vying for the other starting spot.
There is no questioning the pairs' athleticism.
"They are a couple guys that are also all-Missouri Valley Conference track guys that can go and get the ball,'' Limegrover said. "Both guys are going to have opportunities to make plays for us -- big plays -- not just a 5 or 6-yarder. They're going to be the guys we get the ball downfield to.''
Offensive Line
Two years ago, SIU had absolutely no depth up front.
Now, Limegrover says the team is comfortable with any combination of eight guys, which should translate into better protection and fewer injuries to key players.
"The group's really come along,'' Limegrover said. "We're bigger, we're stronger, we're further along than we've been at any point since we've been here.
" A couple of the junior college guys have come along like crazy. Elmer McDaniel (C) and Justin Rich (T) have become two key components. We've got some competition and some guys really working for spots.
"Up front we are protecting better than we ever have."
Which is one reason why Limegrover said the passing game has been sharp thus far.
"I think it's really come along well,'' Limegrover said. "As a coaching staff we had said that we felt pretty confident that we've got the kind of personnel where we can run the ball. The thing we said we have got to be better than average and be solid and confident in is the passing game. I'm very pleased with where we're at passing game-wise.
"It's probably a little bit ahead of our running game right now because we've put more emphasis on it.''
Returning starting quarterback Joel Sambursky has been his usual solid self in practice, but the emergence of sophomore Curtis Holley as the Salukis' No. 2 quarterback has been one of the more important developments of the preseason.
As a freshman, Holley was erratic at times. But with a year of maturity, the former Florida prep standout is showing what he can do.
"He's learned our offense and has really come on and done a nice job,'' Limegrover said. "He's such a cool cat. I mean, you can't win three straight championships in Florida as a quarterback and not have a little moxy, a little swagger.
"You know what, he finally has enough confidence with the offense to show that. He's not playing tentative anymore. He's letting it rip and doing things everyday that make us more and more confident about him.
"We feel like he's a guy that he could step in and we wouldn't skip a beat."
